Councillors question staff over budget

More than $15 million in capital works, a 2.4 per cent rate rise and changes to fees and charges, including water, are what make this year’s draft budget.

The budget - including council’s 2013-17 Delivery Program and 2015-16 Operational Plan - was approved at the meeting.

The meeting didn’t go without a lengthy discussion, with Cr Wallace and his fellow councillors telling senior staff they had plenty of questions and the desire to flag certain tasks as priority.

“I have a long list of questions,” Cr Wallace said.

He questioned staff on heavy vehicle parking, biodiversity programs, ongoing professional development for councillors, regular engagement with the Young and District Chamber of Commerce and community partners and why advocating for new community services and programs wasn’t on the agenda for the next 12 months.

He questioned why only half of the $2 million spent on reasealing rural roads the previous year was put aside for 2015-16 and why $100,000 less was going to be spent on tourism promotion this year.

General manager Peter Vlatko told the councillor some of the expenses for unsealed rural roads had been moved to the capital works program, hence the smaller figure.

Cr Wallace also renewed his queries from the two previous budget meetings on increasing recreational and commercial aviation.

“I was wondering how work was going… This should have been done over the last two years,” Cr Wallace said.

Operations director Dirk Wymer said they’ve discovered that the way to go about it was encouraging ultralight aircrafts to the area and offered to give the councillor a report on the work so far.

Cr Stuart Freudenstein asked for investigations into how to attract and retain health professionals and advocating for improved health services be made priority because they were connected to the new medical centre proposal.

He also wanted the reopening of the Blayney-Demondrille rail line made a priority and questioned what was happening with urban street numbering.

Cr Sandy Freudenstein wanted the task of maintaining open networks with police a priority as well.

And investigations into a tourism interpretive centre was also requested to be added to the delivery program for next year.

The capital works projected for 2015-16, totalling $15,455,917 and includes five projects marked as milestones, was also approved Wednesday.

Residents should expect to see upgrades to Henry Miller (Burrangong), Hall Brothers, Keith Cullen and Gus Smith ovals, and Sawpit Gully - as part of the Young Shire Sporting Needs Study and Strategic Plan - begin this financial year.

As well as a $5.3 million sewer conveyance main replacement, $15,000 improvement to the town hall - which includes acoustic upgrades - and $2 million upgrades - thanks to a grant and loan - to Lovell Street and its stormwater drainage.

Cr Brian Mullany queried the $100,000 set aside for upgrades to the Southern Cross Hall.

Corporate services director Greg Armstrong said the money was in addition to the $120,000 it was costing to repair the facility’s roof, currently underway.

“Originally it was $500,000 in the long term financial plan through the Young Arts and Cultural Master Plan,” he said.

Mr Armstrong said the figure was reduced to $100,000 this year, with some of the original funds going to the town hall.

Among other capital works are $25,000 for groundwater and geological investigations to expand Young’s Lawn Cemetery, $65,000 for upgrades to Young’s parks, gardens and reserves, installing a grease trap at the Young Aquatic Centre ($10,000), more than $5 million from revenue and loans for urban and rural road upgrades and reseals, and purchasing a green waste site for $50,000.

Up to $78,000 has also been put aside to extend the Burrangong Creek cycleway and pedestrian refuges at the Nasmyth and Main streets intersection and Allanan Street to improve pedestrian safety at Gumnut Grove Childcare Centre and medical facilities.

And $180,000 to renew the roof of the Cherry Capital Centre in Boorowa Street which houses Best and Less, Workwear and the Commonwealth Bank, as well as more than $300,000 for water meters and renewing water mains.

The 2013-17 Delivery Program and 2015-16 Operational Plan, including the budget are now on public exhibition for 28 days.